The nationwide characterization and modeling of local energy systems: Quantifying the role of decentralized generation and energy resources in future communities

Mashael Yazdanie, Martin Densing and Alexander Wokaun

Energy Policy, 2018, vol. 118, issue C, 516-533

Abstract: Transnational municipal networks have led to an increase in the adoption of local energy planning and climate strategies in recent decades. As such, methods are needed to assess local energy systems on a broad scale. This study demonstrates one such approach for Switzerland. Clustering techniques are applied to multidimensional municipal data sets in order to define a set of representative local energy system archetypes for Switzerland. Data includes local energy resource potentials, existing heat and electricity energy demands by sector, and the developed environment classification for approximately 2300 municipalities. Select archetypes are analyzed using a cost optimization model to determine the optimal utilization of local resources and decentralized generation technologies until 2050 under different national energy policy scenarios. Local energy resources provide approximately 40% of municipal heat generation (largely using solar, waste, and wood potentials) and 20% of municipal electricity generation (largely using photovoltaics) by 2050, on average across the modeled archetypes. Urban archetypes demonstrate high rooftop solar and waste potentials and usage rates, while smaller rural and suburban archetypes exhibit relatively high manure, wood and small hydro potentials and usage. Efficiency measures (e.g., renovations) and high CO2 prices are vital to achieving long-term local energy demand and emissions reductions.

Keywords: Clustering; Cost optimization model; Decentralized energy; Local energy systems analysis; Local energy policy; Future cities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421518301228
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:118:y:2018:i:c:p:516-533

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.02.045

Access Statistics for this article

Energy Policy is currently edited by N. France

More articles in Energy Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().